Third Flatiron Publishing is based in Boulder, Colorado, and Ayr, Scotland. We are looking for submissions to our (approximately) quarterly themed anthologies. Our focus is on science fiction and fantasy and anthropological fiction. We want tightly plotted tales in out-of-the-ordinary scenarios. Light horror is acceptable, provided it fits the theme.

Please send us short stories that revolve around age-old questions and have something illuminating to tell us as human beings. Fantastical situations and creatures, exciting dialog, irony, mild horror, and wry humor are all welcome. Stories should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Inquire if longer.

Role models for the type of fiction we want include Kurt Vonnegut, Arthur C. Clarke, Dan Simmons, Connie Willis, Vernor Vinge, and Ken Kesey. We want to showcase some of the best new shorts available today.

For each anthology, we will also accept a few very short humor pieces on the order of the "Shouts and Murmurs" feature in The New Yorker Magazine (600 words or so). These can be written from a first-person perspective or can be mini-essays that tell people what they ought to do, how to do something better, or explain why something is like it is, humorously. An SF/Fantasy bent is preferred.

Our publishing schedule for 2017 is below. Books will be available in a variety of e-formats for all popular reading platforms. Paperbacks too. See the "Current Issues" tab for our latest offerings.

Themes and Schedules

Continuing with Third Flatiron's quarterly themed anthologies, we will be soliciting SF/Fantasy/Horror short stories with the following themes. Themes are designed to be open-ended, allowing authors considerable leeway. We appreciate short, imaginative tales, preferring those that work with the theme in some way. Short stories should be 3,000 words or less. Flash humor pieces (<=1,000 words) can be on any theme. We aim to be inclusive and encourage submissions from all creators. Please submit during the reading periods.

"Cat's Breakfast" - Science fiction/satire. Now at the 10th anniversary of his death, Wikipedia says Kurt Vonnegut was famous for his "gallows humor." E.E. King put it another way, citing his "sideways, humorous, skeptical view." This anthology pays tribute to the imagination and inspiration of the ineffable Mr. Vonnegut. (Image by Manfred Heyde, commons.wikimedia.org)

"Strange Beasties" - Slipstream. Are you itching to invent your own odd literary devices or creatures? Impress us, delight us, or scare us with the diversity of your fiendish creations. Creatures of the id don't necessarily have to be monsters, but they do need to be strange. We'd fancy some ghostbusters and monster hunters too.

Reading Period: May 15 - July 15, 2017 Writer Deadline: July 15, 2017 (Submissions are now closed for this theme)Publication Date: September 20, 2017 Preorder on Amazon

Winter 2017

"Aught Seventeen: Third Flatiron's Best of 2017" - A selection of stories reprinted from the year past, in ebook only.

Publication Date: December 2017

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If you’re interested in having your work read and getting paid a little something for it, then submit your story today.

Third Flatiron Publishing are a specialist digital publisher and can help you distribute your work to a truly global audience. Subscriptions are available via Patreon.